Late Positive Potentials as an Index of "Desirably Difficult" Learning Processes Engaged During Language Comprehension: ERP Evidence From Studies of Domain Knowledge.
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| Title: | Late Positive Potentials as an Index of "Desirably Difficult" Learning Processes Engaged During Language Comprehension: ERP Evidence From Studies of Domain Knowledge. |
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| Authors: | Troyer, Melissa (AUTHOR), Kutas, Marta (AUTHOR), Federmeier, Kara D. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Psychophysiology. Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p1-17. 17p. |
| Subjects: | Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology), Explicit memory, Knowledge base, Reading comprehension |
| Abstract: | Electrophysiological studies of language comprehension have primarily examined the kind of information that comes to mind, and when, as people process words and build message‐level understanding. However, less is known about the factors that allow people to commit the message‐level information to memory for future use. One promising marker of such explicit memory processes is the late positive component (LPC), an event‐related brain potential (ERP) effect linked to recollection in the memory literature and predictive of memory performance at timescales ranging from minutes to months. Here, we examine LPCs, alongside N400 brain potentials (sensitive probes of implicit semantic processing), to investigate the hypothesis that domain knowledge influences explicit memory mechanisms during comprehension. We re‐analyzed three existing datasets in which young adults with varying domain knowledge about a fictional book series read short descriptions of fictional "facts" about that domain while ERPs were recorded. As predicted, correct completions of these facts elicited larger LPCs as a function of individuals' overall domain knowledge. We also assessed item‐level difficulty using completion norms from an independent peer group. More difficult facts engendered larger LPCs—but only in individuals with relatively greater domain knowledge. By contrast, N400 amplitudes, reflecting implicit, real‐time lexico‐semantic activation, were modulated by item‐level difficulty for individuals with weaker knowledge but to a much lesser degree for those with stronger knowledge. These findings demonstrate that domain‐specific knowledge shapes not only what information can be implicitly accessed in the moment, but also whether explicit memory mechanisms are immediately engaged. Consistent with the memory literature, we propose that explicit (possibly intentional) memory processes support deeper encoding when input is "desirably difficult" based on an individual's knowledge base. Because these effects appear only in knowledgeable individuals, we suggest they reflect a strengthening of relational memory between in‐the‐moment linguistic input and extant knowledge networks. Impact Statement: We examined brain potentials [late positive components (LPCs)], which have been linked to processes involved in committing information to long‐term memory, during real‐time language comprehension. When participants possessed a great deal of knowledge about the language content, these brain potentials were largest to words in relatively more difficult (i.e., generally less well‐known) contexts. This suggests that deeper encoding is possible when language is "desirably difficult" based on an individual's knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Psychophysiology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193256183 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Late Positive Potentials as an Index of "Desirably Difficult" Learning Processes Engaged During Language Comprehension: ERP Evidence From Studies of Domain Knowledge. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Troyer%2C+Melissa%22">Troyer, Melissa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kutas%2C+Marta%22">Kutas, Marta</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Federmeier%2C+Kara+D%2E%22">Federmeier, Kara D.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Psychophysiology%22">Psychophysiology</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 63 Issue 4, p1-17. 17p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evoked+potentials+%28Electrophysiology%29%22">Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Explicit+memory%22">Explicit memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Knowledge+base%22">Knowledge base</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+comprehension%22">Reading comprehension</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Electrophysiological studies of language comprehension have primarily examined the kind of information that comes to mind, and when, as people process words and build message‐level understanding. However, less is known about the factors that allow people to commit the message‐level information to memory for future use. One promising marker of such explicit memory processes is the late positive component (LPC), an event‐related brain potential (ERP) effect linked to recollection in the memory literature and predictive of memory performance at timescales ranging from minutes to months. Here, we examine LPCs, alongside N400 brain potentials (sensitive probes of implicit semantic processing), to investigate the hypothesis that domain knowledge influences explicit memory mechanisms during comprehension. We re‐analyzed three existing datasets in which young adults with varying domain knowledge about a fictional book series read short descriptions of fictional "facts" about that domain while ERPs were recorded. As predicted, correct completions of these facts elicited larger LPCs as a function of individuals' overall domain knowledge. We also assessed item‐level difficulty using completion norms from an independent peer group. More difficult facts engendered larger LPCs—but only in individuals with relatively greater domain knowledge. By contrast, N400 amplitudes, reflecting implicit, real‐time lexico‐semantic activation, were modulated by item‐level difficulty for individuals with weaker knowledge but to a much lesser degree for those with stronger knowledge. These findings demonstrate that domain‐specific knowledge shapes not only what information can be implicitly accessed in the moment, but also whether explicit memory mechanisms are immediately engaged. Consistent with the memory literature, we propose that explicit (possibly intentional) memory processes support deeper encoding when input is "desirably difficult" based on an individual's knowledge base. Because these effects appear only in knowledgeable individuals, we suggest they reflect a strengthening of relational memory between in‐the‐moment linguistic input and extant knowledge networks. Impact Statement: We examined brain potentials [late positive components (LPCs)], which have been linked to processes involved in committing information to long‐term memory, during real‐time language comprehension. When participants possessed a great deal of knowledge about the language content, these brain potentials were largest to words in relatively more difficult (i.e., generally less well‐known) contexts. This suggests that deeper encoding is possible when language is "desirably difficult" based on an individual's knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Psychophysiology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/psyp.70279 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 17 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Evoked potentials (Electrophysiology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Explicit memory Type: general – SubjectFull: Knowledge base Type: general – SubjectFull: Reading comprehension Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Late Positive Potentials as an Index of "Desirably Difficult" Learning Processes Engaged During Language Comprehension: ERP Evidence From Studies of Domain Knowledge. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Troyer, Melissa – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kutas, Marta – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Federmeier, Kara D. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00485772 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 63 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Psychophysiology Type: main |
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